The Gardners Path

Hey guys, Here I want to share 10 tips on planting and caring for succulents. And this information is going to be geared a little bit more toward beginners, so kind of succulents one on one. And I know that there are a lot of different ways to do things and there are a lot of great tips out there but the things. Here, I'm going to share with you those things that I think helped me the most especially in the beginning. So I'm really hoping that after reading this you feel inspired and encouraged to go try planting succulents yourself. Tips on Planting And Caring for Succulents Choose a Container So the first tip is to choose a container with drainage basically anything with a hole in the bottom that way water has a chance to escape in that pool, which can cause your plant to rot.  Recommended Pot for Succulents , you can buy it from amazon . Soil The second tip is to use soil specifically blended for cactus and succulents because they prefer a soil that's lighter, faster dra...

Botanical Name: Philodendron scandens Common Name: Philodendron Heartleaf, Sweetheart Vine If there were ever a plant that’s perfect for people who are terrible with plants, it’s the sweetheart or heartleaf philodendron. Not only are they easy to keep healthy but they come in a variety of beautiful shades and can be kept as cheerful, bushy plants or graceful trailers. Heartleaf philodendron is a popular house plant because it is extremely easy to grow. The Philodendron Heartleaf is a fast-growing, easy, vining plant. Its graceful, heart-shaped leaves are dark and glossy green in color but almost look transparent at times. Native to Africa and the Canary Islands, the Heartleaf can be grown as a trailer or climber. This full, trailing plant is perfect on top of bookshelves or in a plant hanger where its vines can ‘spill’ out. The Philodendron Heartleaf is incredibly forgiving and will tolerate all kinds of neglect including low light, poor soil, and inconsistent watering. This is a gre...

Hoya Carnosa is also commonly referred to as a wax plant due to its thick, you guessed it, wax-like leaves. A tricolor Hoya Carnosa is recognizable by the color of these waxy leaves. Green, white and pink, this variety of hoya has pink stems that branch out into colorful leaves. Wax plants have beautiful, long slender stems covered with thick, glossy, succulent leaves. It is popular as a houseplant due to its attractive foliage and clusters of sweet-scented, star-shaped pink-white flowers. Wax plants are found vining along with trees and cascading out of available crevices. Owing to their epiphytic nature they have the ability to draw nutrients and moisture out of the warm damp jungle air. These are truly majestic houseplants that are a must-have for any plant collection. Height 2m indoors and 6m in its natural habitat. Soil Chose a well-draining soil mix for this Hoya as you would for most other houseplants. If you mix your soil on your own use a combination of peat moss, vermiculite,...

With its lush green leaves, the Boston fern (Nephrolepis exaltata) is a very popular indoor houseplant. They can look like they are on death’s door, and then come back to life quickly with a bit of care. This species of fern is a part of the Nephrolepis genus, popular after its discovery in 1894 within a batch of Sword ferns. Ferns might have a reputation for being fussy, but they are truly very hardy plants. Boston Fern Care Boston ferns appreciate a little TLC. They like warm and humid conditions. And they don’t enjoy temperature extremes, either outside or from drafts, air conditioners, and heating vents indoors. It’s important to maintain stable growing conditions for Boston ferns, as an element to their care that’s out of whack can quickly damage the plant. Light Boston ferns do best in bright, indirect light. Too much shade can result in sparse fronds that aren’t their typical bright color. And too much sun can burn the fronds. So both outdoors and indoors, make sure direct sunli...

Orchids, also known as Orchidaceae, are one of the most beautiful flowers around due to their large, long-lasting blooms and crisp colors. They can be found in white, pink, magenta, purple, and yellow hues. Orchids symbolize fertility, elegance, and love. Orchids are some of the most commonly grown houseplants. Provided they have proper growing conditions, it isn’t difficult to learn how to take care of orchid plants. If you are new to the world of orchids, don't be afraid of them. Many orchids can be easy to grow if you take some time to learn what they need. One of the most popular types of orchids is the moth orchid or phalaenopsis. This variety blooms one to two times a year and the flowers last from two to three months. Other popular types of orchids are dendrobium and oncidium, which bloom one to two times a year and have flowers that last a little over a month. Orchid Growing Tips There are more than 20,000 types of orchids around the world, and their growth is dependant on ...

 Oxalis Triangularis Overview Oxalis triangularis is often referred to as "purple shamrocks. Oxalis triangularis are not Irish natives; however – instead, they hail from Brazil. Oxalis is a variety of the wood sorrel group and is well known for being an invasive weed in most gardens. However, some types of Oxalis are perfectly well behaved and don't spread all over the places, such as the Oxalis Triangularis. Oxalis are excellent houseplants because they come in a range of colors and sizes. They are SO prolific that they are considered to be weeds to greenhouse growers and gardeners. Some would go through a dormant phase in the winter if they were kept as a houseplant.  The striking purple leaves stand out amongst green indoor plants, and it's also photophilic, which mean that the leaves open and close in response to light. At night the leaves fold down, and during the day, they will open up.  Flowering Many small trumpet-shaped blooms sitting over the leaves arrive durin...

Aphelandra squarrosa, known more commonly as the Zebra plant, is a tropical plant originally from Brazil. Typically grown indoors, it's lauded for its unique dark leaves that are striped with white veins, as well as its colorful flowers. The leaves are large and waxy in a base color of dark green with contrasting creamy white veins, making it easy to see where this plant. This attractive houseplant is grown for its unusual foliage, along with its striking flowers. It can be quite a challenge to encourage the flowers to bloom, (which usually happens in late summer or early autumn) but when they do they are a sight to behold in startling yellow. Like many tropical plants, the Zebra plant can be a challenge to grow indoors, especially in temperate areas. It requires a lot of moisture, warmth, and food to thrive, and indoor conditions are not always naturally conducive to the plant. Still, with the right care and attention, a Zebra plant can thrive for several months. Zebra Plant Care ...

The prayer plant is one of the most distinguishable tropicals, thanks to its beautiful decorative leaves. The popular tricolor variety has deep green, velvety leaves with yellow splotches down the midrib and arching red veins traveling to the leaf margins. A slow-grower, the prayer plant can eventually reach up to a foot in height indoors. The maranta leuconeura is also known as the prayer plant. Once evening descends, this low-growing Brazilian native has a habit of raising its leaves to an upright position and folding them as if in prayer. It can thrive outdoors only in the U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 11 and 12, so it’s typically cultivated indoors. Prayer plant care isn’t difficult as long as you address its specific needs. As a tropical plant, it has distinct requirements for humidity, temperature, and water.   How to Grow a Prayer Plant The prayer plant tolerates low light conditions, it does best in bright, indirect sunlight. The prayer plant pre...

Air plants are a stunning and unique addition to any house plant collection! The name “air plant” is actually a bit misleading. Members of the Tillandsia genus are so-called not because they can thrive on air alone, but because they require no soil at all to grow. In fact, assuming that Tillandsia only needs air to survive is one of the most common mistakes we see in air plant care. When it comes to indoor plant care, air plants (Tillandsia) are supposed to be some of the easiest. For starters, they don’t even need soil, absorbing water and nutrients through scales on their leaves—in the wild they survive just hanging onto the bark of trees and whatnot, catching whatever bit of rain and bird poop that comes their way. But just like succulents and orchids, some people have trouble keeping them alive. Here are the best practices we recommend for air plant care. First, we’ll talk about how to care for air plants in general, and then we’ll talk about adaptations in air plant care for aquar...

If your friendly yucca plants become yellow or may discover black spots on leaves then there may be chances of spoiling the growth of yuccas from blooming flowers. You need not worry as this problem can be easily solved by applying natural fertilizers and by providing sufficient water and sunlight to the plants. The Yucca plant is a perennial shrub in the family of Asparagaceae that is abundantly seen in the Caribbean and American countries. It is a super air-purifying plant and grows well in hot and dry climatic conditions. Plant leaves, stems and roots are poisonous if consumed directly. Though the plant is poisonous it contains powerful antioxidants that help to cure stomach ache, headache, and other skin-related problems in humans. Here in this article, we shared the detailed information related to the yucca plants, growing conditions and how it is helpful in your daily life to lead a happy life. Companion Plants Yucca combination plants include euphorbia, sedum, lilies, sage, rudb...

If you grow only one vegetable other than tomatoes, it should be lettuce. Growing lettuce is so easy, takes up little space, and you can even grow it among flowers. here are a few things to think about when adding lettuce to your garden. Since lettuce is a cool weather plant it’s best to plant them in the spring or fall. You can also do succession planting to be able to have lettuce harvest all season long. To succession plant, you’ll want to plant a few seeds and then a week or two later plant a few more. This way your lettuce will be ready to harvest at different times, so you don’t have a huge harvest of all at once. When to Plant Lettuce is a cool weather plant and does well in most areas when planted in the spring and fall. Lettuce seeds can be started indoors 4-6 weeks before the last spring frost. Lettuce seeds can be direct sown into the garden as soon as the soil can be worked. Lettuce usually grows well at temperatures between 45 and 65 degrees. Hotter weather tends to make l...

There’s nothing quite like the experience of going out into your own backyard and picking fresh fruit right off the tree. But fruit trees can be discouraging to many gardeners who like to see a quick turnaround in yield. Many fruit trees can take years to start bearing fruit, and represent a significant time and space investment in any garden. Some citrus trees can take between six and ten years before you see the first piece of fruit! For those of us that like to see a quicker turnaround from our gardens but still don’t want to give up the idea of fresh fruit, there are several types of fruit trees that will bear fruit fairly quickly. Figs, mulberries, peaches, and even limes can all give you a successful fruit harvest within the first year they are planted when well cared for. The key to getting a quick first harvest from many fruit trees is to purchase grafted stock. Grafting is a technique where a budding stem of one tree is inserted into the rootstock (roots and some portion of th...

Growing Bell Peppers In Containers Peppers are a complete joy to grow if you live in a continuous hot weather climate that is! If you don’t have the space to grow them in a garden, it gets a little trickier, but don’t fret, a pot is all red peppers need to grow! It’s container gardening at it’s finest! After you’ve got your hands on some pepper seeds or a plant from the local nursery, the next step is, yep you guessed it, you need to find a pot! Time to start growing bell peppers! Pots Or Containers : When browsing for suitable pots, make sure its at least 10 inches deep and 10 inches in width. Drainage holes at the bottom are definitely recommended, a pot of this size can easily grow and maintain 2-3 plants. Avoid place pots if you’re already in a hot climate for your plants will attract a little too much sun. Seeds: If you choose a plant from a nursery you can skip to the next section, however, if you simply purchased some seeds you’ll want some seed food or potting mix as well. Fill...

Pothos is a common houseplant and often thought of as the easiest one to grow. Its botanical name is Epipremnum aureum. It is also sometimes called taro vine or devil’s ivy. Pothos is a vine plant, but it doesn’t need a trellis. However, it can be draped around a room in a becoming fashion. It can grow up to thirty feet long, but most plants are between six and ten feet. How To Grow Pothos While it is easy to grow, pothos does need a few things to thrive. This plant does well in moderately cool temperatures. It prefers about fifty-five degrees Fahrenheit but can handle warmer room temperatures. Pothos also needs full shade or partial shade though it does like diluted sunlight. This plant isn’t picky about soil, it does need to have some fertilizer. When first planting it, use potting soil that has some in it. The plant does not like to be overwatered. Let the soil dry out completely before watering it. Keep in mind that all parts of this plant are poisonous. It is a mild to moderate po...

Christmas cactus plants (Schlumbergera bridgesii_) are epiphytes that grow naturally in trees in Brazil. They absorb moisture and nutrients from debris that gets caught in the tree branches. Commonly grown as houseplants, they can also be grown outdoors in pots in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 9 to 11, as long as they are brought indoors if the weather gets too cold. They can survive temperatures down to 20 degrees Fahrenheit, but their stems will be severely damaged. Rooting a New Christmas Cactus To root a brand new cutting of a Christmas Cactus, be sure to plant in a mixture of moist peat and sand soil. You'll want to place the cactus into the soil about a quarter of an inch. Also, be sure not to overwater your newly rooted cactus to avoid rot. Once fully rooted, you can move your plant to a pot with potting soil for a permanent home. Light and Temperature Place indoor Christmas cactus plants in bright, indirect light. Right next to south-, west- or east-f...